A perfect homecoming weekend was concluded by #7 Georgia Tech’s 41-16 trouncing of Syracuse, continuing Tech’s undefeated season at 8-0 (5-0 ACC) and remaining atop the ACC.
Haynes King was his stalwart
self, throwing for 304 yards and rushing for 91 with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. He hit Josh Beetham for two touchdowns.
“We’re getting closer to playing a full game,” said Georgia Tech Head Coach Brent Key after the game. “I think we played the closest we have to a complete game.”
Haynes King said as much, but then Kyle Efford hit the media with this line: “We allowed 16 points too many.” These guys are locked the f in.
Tech scored on seven of ten drives (not including the final drive with a kneel out) and put up a 59% success rate per Game on Paper’s EPA metrics and outgained Syracuse 543-381. In further terms of efficiency, it was history making for Haynes King:
For a game where Tech was favored by 17.5 points, this was as easy as you’d want it to be. While Syracuse quarterback Rickie Collins was able to scramble get get some chunk yardage through the air, Tech held to their “bend don’t break” mentality on defense and never gave Syracuse any daylight in the game, including when the Orange were at the 1 yard line three plays into the game, forcing a field goal.
Tech’s two leading rushers, King and Malachi Hosley, averaged 7.6 and 10.1 yards per rush respectively. Jamal Haynes only gained 23 yards on seven rushes.
How It Happened
On the 2nd play of the game, Isiah Canion was stripped on a comeback route, which Syracuse turned into the shortest field after their first play from scrimmage ran them to the 1 yard line. A self-implosion by their offensive line with false starts and a sack turned into 3rd & goal from the 14, which they couldn’t convert, settling for a chip shot field goal and a 3-0 lead early.
Tech moved the ball extremely well on their second drive with catches by Zion Taylor and Jordan Allen, Allen’s moving Tech to goal to go. On 2nd & goal, Josh Beetham dropped the easiest wide open pass he’ll ever get from 3 yards out, then King couldn’t hit Eric Rivers, forcing a field goal from 20 yards out to tie it at 3-3.
Cuse went three and out on their first full drive, followed by what was a 3rd & 11 conversion by Malachi Hosley but was taken back by a holding call on Bailey Stockton, resulting in a punt.
After another Orange three and out, Tech finally put together a scoring drive, but not without a twinge of danger. The first series required a 3rd & 5 conversion by Jordan Allen, then King handled a horrific snap to scramble for a first down avoiding disaster. Then a 3rd & 2 rush by King was stopped short at Syracuse’s 21 yard line, but the 4th & 1 play resulted in a wiiiiiide open Josh Beetham touchdown, redemption for earlier and a 10-3 lead with 12:05 left in the 2nd quarter.
Cuse converted a couple first downs courtesy of some running room for Rickie Collins and a missed assignment from Clayton Powell-Lee, but a JJ van den Berg sack plus a holding call forced Cuse to punt. Tech again rolled right down the field with third down conversions by Luke Hapring and Jamal Haynes, setting up Josh Beetham for a 13 yard touchdown reception to go up 17-3.
Cuse had a chance on their next drive to get some late in the half points, but were stopped short on 3rd and 4th & inches, giving Tech the ball back with 45 seconds left. Tech moved quickly to Syracuse’s 28 yard line with a run by Hosley and catch by Canion. Bailey Stockton had gotten to the 1 yard line but was called back on a blindside block by backup center Tana Alo-Tupuola. Nonetheless, Haynes King ran to the 4 yard line on the next play, setting up Birr with a field goal to give Tech a 20-3 halftime lead.
Tech’s defense had two major breakdowns to start the second half, allowing completions of 41 then 34 yards for an easy Syracuse touchdown to make it 20-10.
After a 2nd down sack of King on Tech’s next series, he found Zion Taylor on what looked like a desperation heave, but it got the needed 12 yards to set up a 37 yard Dean Patterson touchdown to go up 27-10.
Another Syracuse three and out later and Tech drove down the Orange throats with a 27 yard Hosley run and a 33 yard Stockton reception before King ran in a 2 yard TD for 34-10.
Syracuse got the wheels back on the cart with a 35 yard reception by Dan Villari and two fourth down conversions by Rickie Collins, but inside the redzone he fumbled. Jason Moore’s recovery gave Tech the ball back, but did nothing with it going three and out.
There’s no guarantee Tech will move up in the rankings after this week, but this was the exact kind of game that will keep them in the top 7 going into their 9th game of the season against NC State.
Kickoff time for NC State will be announced tomorrow.
